A virtual environment is an interactive simulated environment accessed by multiple users through an online interface. Users inhabit and interact in the virtual environment via avatars, which are two or three-dimensional graphical representations of humanoids. There are many different types of virtual environments, however there are several features many virtual environments generally have in common:    A) Shared Space: the world allows many users to participate at once.    B) Graphical User Interface: the environment depicts space visually, ranging in style from 2D “cartoon” imagery to more immersive 3D environments.    C) Immediacy: interaction takes place in real time.    D) Interactivity: the environment allows users to alter, develop, build, or submit customized content.    E) Persistence: the environment's existence continues regardless of whether individual users are logged in.    F) Socialization/Community: the environment allows and encourages the formation of social groups such as teams, guilds, clubs, cliques, housemates, neighborhoods, etc.
An avatar can have a wide range of business and social experiences. Such business and social experiences are becoming more common and increasingly important in on-line virtual environments (e.g., universes, worlds, etc.), such as that provided in the on-line world Second Life (Second Life is a trademark of Linden Research in the United States, other countries, or both). The Second Life client program provides its users (referred to as residents) with tools to view, navigate, and modify the Second Life world and participate in its virtual economy.
Second Life and other on-line virtual environments present a tremendous new outlet for both structured and unstructured virtual collaboration, gaming, exploration, commerce, and travel, as well as real-life simulations in virtual spaces. As virtual environments are becoming increasingly popular for collaboration and conducting day-to-day business, avatars expect their 3D Internet experience to closely replicate that which customers have come to expect and appreciate in the physical world.
Avatars, or residents, of a virtual universe use inventories to store their belongings. The inventory may function as a repository for items such as avatar software, either “decorative” or functional, including, for example, MP3 players, encryption/decryption software, documents, virtual clothing, decorations, building architectures, artwork, and/or the like. Items may be exchanged directly between avatars, purchased or automatically deposited into an inventory. In a typical shopping scenario, a virtual universe resident traverses a store, examines items, and makes a purchase, thereby triggering the transfer of the purchased items into the resident's inventory. Heretofore there are no controls, either self-imposed by the avatar and/or by a third party, of this inventory process.
Accordingly, there is an opportunity to improve upon the existing virtual universe experience.